Jay’s Analysis – Eastern Theology Versus Latin Theology

What are the central differences between Latin and Eastern theology? Is there are common thread of difference that gives rise to two different approaches to divinity, knowledge, revelation and eschatology? Yes, I argue. I discuss Augustine, Aquinas, absolute divine simplicity as borrowed from Aristotle and Plato, the Logos, the Greek triad, I Am as “pure being,” Anselm, the analogia entis/chain of being, apophatic theology, theosis, created grace, divine energies, divine ideas, and the supposed ‘beatific vision.’

“By accepting the teachings of Plato on unchangeable species and identifying these with the Divine Essence, Augustine established the analogy between created and Uncreated, based on which he and the Franco-latins would research the Divine Essence through the in-world created icons of the uncreated archetypal species in God.” -Fr John Romanides, Dogmatic and Symbolic Theology of the Orthodox Catholic Church I, p. 382